From Shadows
by JD-Spinner of Yarns
Summary: Kifan Rosa Necluda is known throughout Hyrule as Rosa the Dauntless Rose. She roams the land and solves problems that the Royal Guard and local constabularies cannot. When her uncle, Lord Rory of House Neculda, is found murdered within his own estate, Rosa must return home. She faces a confounding mystery of writhing shadows and a forgotten time. (Rated T for violence.)


Prologue

 _Note: This is set in a Victorian England style setting within the world of Breath of the Wild._

Golden light faded away from the windows with the setting sun. Darkness and shadows enveloped the silent rooms and the entire house soon took a pallid, dull hue. A fervent shriek pierced the quiet air and echoed off the manor's thick walls. Something dragged itself into the elaborate foyer and gasped for breath. A lone figure, draped in shadow, hovered over the man smearing his blood across the royal purple carpet. It stood and watched the man pull himself toward the oaken doors. The man strained with all of his might to reach the doors to the outside but he came to a halt when something heavy fell upon his back. The figure drifted over to him and a heavy foot came to blows with the man's back and held him in place.

The last sound the man ever heard was of some metal blade entering the back of his neck. He breathed his last and his remaining lifeblood poured from the wound in his throat. Only darkness remained when the figure vanished into the moving shadows. When everything settled, the oil lanterns of the house all sprung to life at once and revealed the mangled corpse of a nobleman of House Necluda. In time the eyes of a police inspector would find their way to his body and conclude that he had, in fact, been murdered.

Rory Necluda had sired no children and taken no wife. His only living relative was his darling niece Kifan Rosa Necluda and the inspector informed her as his next of kin. The young woman, known throughout the land as Rosa the Dauntless Rose, proved difficult to track down for the middle-aged inspector. Rosa wandered the land and battled injustice of all kinds. A pigeon found its way to her at the foot of the Hebra Mountains. It carried a note from the police inspector and within is where Rosa the Dauntless Rose learned of her uncle's death.

Battling winds and furious flakes of snow, Rosa unfurled the parchment and squinted to shield herself from the snow that whipped into her soft, silver eyes.

 _Kifan Rosa of House Neculda,_

 _It is with weighted heart that I write this note to you and hope that this letter finds you well._

 _On the morn of the 18th this past week your uncle, Lord Rory of House Necluda, was found to be murdered within his own estate. Our constabulary have begun in earnest to search high and low for his vile murderer._

 _In this difficult time we must regrettably request your presence at Necluda Estate as you are his sole kin and, as such, are entitled to his inheritance. We hope you can forgive us for the request of identifying, with certainty, that the man we found is indeed your uncle. This is undoubtedly a trying time for you and you will be given every opportunity to grieve and mourn this terrible loss._

 _Kindly yours,_

 _Inspector Rhen of the West Necluda Constabulary_

Furling the parchment again, Rosa took in a sharp breath and exhaled, leaving a trail of steam from her mouth into the cold air. Her gloved hand tightened around the parchment and she turned her gaze east toward her home region. Necluda Estate would be almost two days ride from Rito Village and she found herself well north of Lake Totori.

Thoughts of her uncle danced through her mind. Faded memories half-remembered told her of a callous man with little care in the world for family. She had been young when she left Necluda and it had been many years since she found herself in her uncle Rory's presence. His memory brought to mind a man of wealth who cared only for expanding it. He was less than kind to his elder sister Kirina, Rosa's mother. But he had always expressed a detached fondness for Rosa herself. He often showed her his telescope and permitted her to look through it. He enjoyed sharing his paintings and poetry with the young girl and even let her use his inkwell to write some of her own. Rosa never loved her uncle and nor did he love her back. But the man did not deserve to be murdered; this she knew. There was but one choice: return home to Necluda.

Rosa cast a glance to her map and plotted the road back to Rito Village from the mountains. She reversed her course and headed back the way she had come to make the two day journey to her home.


End file.
